This Mint Chocolate Bark is so simple your kids could make it!
No stove, and no expensive chocolate necessary! It’s the perfect Christmas candy or holiday treat, and you can make it with inexpensive pantry staples!
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Looking for a delicious, easy holiday treat or Christmas candy recipe? You’ve probably thought about making bark. Maybe you’ve even checked out some recipes.
If you did, there’s a pretty good chance you read that you should ‘only use bar chocolate,’ and not even regular bar chocolate, but that you should ‘always spring for the best chocolate for making bark’.
Well. What if you don’t have any fancy high end bar chocolate or can’t afford any, or it’s not even sold within a half hour drive of your house? Should you give up?
Most of the recipes say that you can’t use chocolate chips because they contain stabilizers and don’t really make the best bark.
But what does that really even mean? I decided to do a little experiment and try (gasp!) to make mint chocolate bark using chocolate chips. And not even just regular chocolate chips – both chocolate and white chocolate chips.
Guess what?
It works.
It’s fine. The bark is delicious. Unless you’re making a hostess gift for Queen Elizabeth, you can probably just go ahead and use the chocolate chips you have in your pantry, instead of springing for the fancy Ghiradelli chocolate bars.
I mean, I’m sure they’re delicious, but come on.
I’d have to drive more than half an hour to buy some (maybe more – I’m not even sure) and probably remortgage our house to pay for them. Haha. I don’t really know how much they cost around here, but I’m sure they’re not cheap!
Um, but if you are somehow making a hostess gift for Queen Elizabeth, you should probably get the Ghiradelli.
One small, but important point: The process using chocolate chips, especially the white chocolate, is a little different – but still easy!
Read on for the details.
Mint Chocolate Bark – with chocolate chips! – Step-by-Step Instructions
Mint Chocolate Bark – with chocolate chips! – Ingredients
In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of chocolate chips and 1/4 teaspoon of butter. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir well. Microwave for 30 more seconds. Stir. Continue until melted but not scorched (probably one more time). Set aside.
In another small bowl, combine 1 cup of white chocolate chips, 1 teaspoon of butter, 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract and green food coloring. I used cheap food coloring, so I used 5 drops. If you’re using more expensive food coloring, you probably only need 1 drop.
Microwave for 30 seconds, stir well. Then microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring in between, until chips are broken down into a paste and well-combined. Do not scorch.
Tip: They won’t melt, just break down into a paste.
Use a spatula to spread the white (now green) chocolate paste in a thin layer on a piece of parchment paper.
Spread melted chocolate on top of the green (white) chocolate paste and smooth it out.
Chill until firm.
Break into pieces and enjoy! Store in fridge to maintain best texture.
Mint Chocolate Bark - Yes, you CAN use chocolate chips - but here's how!
Ingredients
For the chocolate layer
- 1 cup chocolate chips I used semi-sweet
- 1/4 tsp butter
For the mint chocolate layer
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
- 5 drops green food colouring (I used inexpensive food colouring from the grocery store - if you're using expensive paste you'll probably just need one drop)
Instructions
- Mix chocolate chips and 1/4 tsp butter in a small bowl. Microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring well in between, until completely melted (this will probably take 1.5 - 2 minutes). Don't let it scorch. Set aside.
- In a second bowl, combine the white chocolate chips, 1 tsp butter, peppermint extract and food colouring. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, then microwave in 15 second intervals, until the chips break down into a paste and you can mix it. They will NOT melt - just become pasty. Don't let them burn.
- Spread green paste out on parchment paper. Top with melted chocolate. Refrigerate until solid - probably 1-2 hours.
- Break into pieces and enjoy! 🙂 Store in refrigerator for best texture.
Nutrition
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Shelly says
Have not tried yet but sounds simple & next chance I will try it. Thank you for recipe
Myra says
Thanks Shelly!
Carmella says
Sounds yummy ,must give it a try, do you think milk chocolate chips would work also?
Myra says
Yes Carmella, I’m pretty sure they would. I would just go slowly and be careful not to scorch them!